Rumen Ciliate Protozoa of the Blue Duiker (Cephalophus monticola), with Observations on Morphological Variation Lines Within the Species Entodinium dubardi |
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Authors: | BURK A DEHORITY |
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Institution: | Department of Animal Science, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, Ohio 44691–4096 |
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Abstract: | ABSTRACT. Protozoal concentrations were determined in rumen and cecal contents of 20 blue duikers ( Cephalophus monticola ). Ten animals of each sex were fed either a high concentrate or high roughage diet. Rumen protozoa were present in 19 of the 20 animals and concentrations ranged from 4.5 to 33.7 × 106 per g of rumen contents. At the higher concentrations, protozoal cells equaled between 30–40% of the total rumen contents volume. No protozoa were found in cecal contents. Weight of rumen contents was higher in females than in males ( P < 0.01), and rumen protozoa concentrations were higher in males ( P < 0.05) and in those animals fed the high concentrate diet ( P < 0.05). All the protozoa were identified as belonging to a single species, Entodinium dubardi . However, an average of about 30% of the E. dubardi cells varied from the typical morphology of this species. These cells appeared to be on variation lines leading toward 7–10 other non-caudate species of Entodinium . The present data were used to evaluate and discuss the concept of variation lines within E. dubardi . |
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Keywords: | Diet effects identification of species rumen protozoal concentrations sex effects total protozoa in the rumen |
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